Debi's Daily Dollar Idea: Crock it

I'm all about saving money.  And if I can save some time in the process all the better.  Making use of your crock pot will do both.  Especially in the summer when heating up your oven to cook a few baked potatoes also means your air conditioner needs to work even harder to keep the room cool. 

In my "investigations" about crock pot versus an electric oven I've discovered that an average crock pot uses about 200 watts of electricity an hour, while an oven heated to 350 degrees uses about 2,000.  The crock pot uses less electricity, doesn't heat up the kitchen the way the oven will, and you can fill it in the morning and forget about it until you're ready for dinner.

There is a plethora of websites devoted to crock pot cookery, including thousands of recipes.  I'll share just one simple idea: use the crock pot to cook baked potatoes.  Simply scrub the potatoes, grease and place in the crock pot.  An average sized pot will hold 10-12.  Cook on low for 8-10 hours, or on high for 4-5.  That's all there is to it!

What is your favorite crock pot recipe?